A Dillsburg, PA man has been sentenced to serve 10 to 26 years in state prison for raping an unconscious woman during an incident in a State College hotel.

In January, A jury convicted Christopher Ryerse on multiple charges including rape of an unconscious victim, sexual assault and indecent assault.

The attack took place while Ryerse was in State College on business. Prosecutors say he went to a bar with a group of co-workers. The victim was a co-worker's friend and did not know Ryerse.

After drinks, the woman became violently sick and spent an hour in the bathroom falling in and out of consciousness.

Prosecutors say Ryerse moved the woman to a bed in the hotel where he was staying and raped her. The victim awoke naked with Ryerse lying next to her.

Her underwear was sent to a lab where DNA tests detected Ryerse's semen. During the investigation Ryerse blamed the rape on another man.

In a prepared statement, Centre County District Attorney, Stacy Parks Miller says " ... the defendant claimed he did not have complete control over what he had done. However, it was not a lack of control that forced him to rape an unconscious women, but a lack of personal responsibility, buried within an opportunistic predator. We are pleased the victim's voice was heard by the jury and the Judge and that justice was served."

Steve Bauer is Managing Editor & Chief Content Officer at StateCollege.com. Steve and his wife Trina are longtime area residents. They reside in State College along with a wacky Golden Retriever named Izzy. You can e-mail Steve at Steve.Bauer@StateCollege.com and you can follow him on Twitter @SteveBauerSCcom
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